U.S. patent number 6,118,290 [Application Number 09/066,937] was granted by the patent office on 2000-09-12 for prober and method for cleaning probes provided therein.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Tokyo Electron Limited. Invention is credited to Yoshihiko Nakamura, Masahiko Sugiyama, Kazumi Yamagata.
United States Patent |
6,118,290 |
Sugiyama , et al. |
September 12, 2000 |
Prober and method for cleaning probes provided therein
Abstract
A prober including a probe card, a main chuck, a spacer, a
conveying mechanism, and a supporting portion. The probe card is
provided on an upper surface of a main body of the prober. The main
chuck is provided in the main body of the prober, underneath the
probe card, to be movable in X, Y, Z and .theta. directions. The
spacer has an upper portion on which a cleaner tool for the probe
card is held. The conveying mechanism for conveying the spacer
between outside of the main body of the prober and a position on
the main chuck. The supporting portion is provided on an outer side
surface of the main chuck, for supporting the spacer. The main
chuck is moved up and down directly underneath the probe card such
that probes of the probe card is cleaned with the cleaner tool on
the spacer held on the main chuck.
Inventors: |
Sugiyama; Masahiko (Nirasaki,
JP), Nakamura; Yoshihiko (Yamanashi-ken,
JP), Yamagata; Kazumi (Yamanashi-ken, JP) |
Assignee: |
Tokyo Electron Limited (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
15806678 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/066,937 |
Filed: |
April 28, 1998 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 7, 1997 [JP] |
|
|
9-165141 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
324/750.22;
324/754.07 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01R
31/2886 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01R
31/28 (20060101); G01R 031/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;324/158.1,73.1,754,765
;15/301 ;451/28,67 ;134/32 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nguyen; Vinh P.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier
& Neustadt, P.C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A prober comprising:
a probe card provided on an upper surface of a main body of said
prober;
a main chuck provided in the main body of said prober, underneath
said probe card, to be movable in X, Y, Z and .theta.
directions;
a spacer having an upper portion on which a cleaner tool for the
probe card is held;
a conveying mechanism for conveying said spacer between outside of
the main body of the prober and a position on said main chuck;
and
a supporting portion, provided on an outer side surface of said
main chuck, for supporting said spacer,
wherein said main chuck is moved up and down directly underneath
said probe card such that probes of said probe card is cleaned with
the cleaner tool on said spacer held on said main chuck.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of cleaning probes, a
probing method and a prober, and more specifically, to a method of
capable of cleaning probes while an object to be examined, such as
a semiconductor wafer (to be abbreviated as "wafer" hereinafter) is
placed on a main chuck, a probing method of the same type, and a
prober.
As a typical example of a conventional prober, a prober for
electrically examining semiconductor integrated circuits (to be
called "IC chips" hereinafter) formed on a wafer, will now be
described.
As can be seen in FIG. 6, for example, a conventional prober 10
includes a cassette C for storing wafers W, a loader unit 11 for
conveying wafers W from the cassette C, a prober unit 12 for
examining wafers W conveyed by a conveying mechanism (not shown)
provided in the loader 11, a controller for controlling the prober
unit 12 and the loader unit 11, and a display device 14 which also
serves as an operation panel for operating the controller 13.
A sub-chuck (not shown) is provided for the loader unit 11. The
wafers W are pre-aligned by the sub-chuck with reference to the
orientation flat, and the pre-aligned wafers W are conveyed to the
prober unit 12 by the conveying mechanism.
In the prober unit 12, a main chuck 15 movable in X, Y, Z and
.theta. directions, on which a wafer W is placed, an alignment
mechanism 16 having an alignment bridge 16A or the like, for
aligning a wafer W placed on the main chuck 15 accurately at a test
position, probes (e.g. probe needle) 17A for performing an
electrical test on a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC chip)
formed on a wafer W aligned by the alignment mechanism 16, and a
probe card 17 having the probe 17A, are arranged.
A head plate 18 is made to be openable in the upper surface of the
prober unit 12. The probe card 17 is fixed via an insert ring 18A
to an opening made at the center of the head plate 18. On the
prober unit 12, a test head 19 is placed to be revolvable. The
probe 17A is electrically connected to a tester (not shown) via the
test head 19 revolving on the prober unit 12. A predetermined
electrical signal outputted from the tester is transmitted via the
probe 17A to an IC chip formed on the wafer W placed on the main
chuck 15, and via a reverse route, a signal containing the result
of the measurement of the electrical properties of the IC chip is
transmitted to the tester. The tester thus carries out an
electronic test on each of the IC chips on the basis of such a
signal.
In order to test a wafer W, the main chuck 15 is moved in the X, Y
and .theta. directions by the driving mechanism, and thus the wafer
W on the main chuck 15 is aligned with the probe 17A. Then, the
main chuck 15 is driven upwards (in the Z direction) such that an
electrode pad (made of, for example, aluminum) of the IC chip
formed on the wafer W is brought into contact with the probe 17A.
In this operation, if a natural oxide film (made of aluminum oxide)
or the like is formed on the surface of the electrode, the
electrical connection between the probe 17A and the electrode pad
fails. When this happens, the probe 17A scrapes off the natural
oxide film or the like formed on the electrode pad 17A, and then
they are brought into contact with each other, thus assuring the
electrical connection between them. After a great number of tests,
a residue O of aluminum oxide scraped off from electrode pads is
stuck on the probe 17A as shown in FIG. 7, and as a result, the
tests thereafter cannot be performed accurately.
In order to avoid this, conventionally, the terminal of the probe
17A is cleaned. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the terminal of the
probe 17A is cleaned by a grinding plate 20. The grinding plate 20
is attached on an attachment plate 15A extending from the lateral
surface of the main chuck 15. The terminal of the probe 17A is
brought into contact with the grinding plate 20 and as the main
chuck 15 is moved up and down, the terminal of the probe 17 is
ground, thus eliminating the residue O.
As another example, a device having a grinding file placed at the
central portion of the main chuck, has been developed (see Japanese
Utility Model KOKAI Publication No. SHOWA 59-148251).
In the case of the conventional device in which the grinding plate
for grinding the probes 17A is attached onto the attachment plate
15A provided on the lateral surface of the main chuck, the probes
17A is pressed by the grinding plate, and therefore a large bending
moment is applied on the main chuck 15 via the attachment table
15A. In order to withstand the bending moment, the main chuck 15 is
required to have a high mechanical strength. In particular, when
the size of wafer is enlarged in diameter (for example, 12 inch
diameter), the size of the main chuck 15 is increased accordingly,
thus further increasing the bending moment. In order to deal with
such an increased bending moment, it is required not only simply
enlarging the main chuck 15, but also to reinforce the mechanical
strength of the main chuck 15. Thus, the weight of the main chuck
15 is further increased, which is not desirable.
The above-described conventional device, and another type of the
conventional device, in which the grinding file is placed on the
central portion of the main chuck entail a problem that the wafer
must be unloaded from the main chuck each time the probes are
subjected to cleaning.
As the size of wafers W is enlarged in diameter, the number of IC
chips formed on one wafer W is remarkably increased, and therefore
the number of probing carried out for one wafer W is accordingly
increased. As a result, a great amount of residue 0 is stuck to the
probes 17A, and therefore there is an increased necessity of
cleaning the probes 17A during the series of tests. In the case of
the conventional cleaning device, the following operation is
necessary. That is, the testing is paused, and the wafer W is once
unloaded from the main chuck to the loader chamber. Subsequently,
the probes 17A are ground, and after that, the wafer is loaded back
onto the main chuck. Then, the wafer W is aligned and the test is
continued once again. Thus, it requires a great amount of time to
test one wafer W.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of
cleaning the probes, a method of carrying out the probing at high
efficiency, and a device for practicing such methods.
Another object of the invention is to carry out a method of
cleaning the probes, and a method of carrying out the probing, with
a device having a remodeled structure.
According to the present invention, at least one of the above
objects will be achieved.
With the present invention, there are provided a method of cleaning
the probes, which does not require to unload the wafer from the
main chuck during testing, without applying a bending moment to the
main chuck even if the diameter of an object to be tested, such as
wafer, is enlarged.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of cleaning probes of a probe card by using a
cleaner tool provided for a main chuck for an object to be tested
within a main body of a prober, the method comprising the steps of:
detachably mounting a spacer on which the cleaner tool is held,
onto the main chuck while the object to be tested is placed on the
main chuck; and cleaning the probes with the cleaner tool by moving
the main chuck.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a probing method for testing electrical properties of
semiconductor integrated circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer,
comprising:
the contacting step of moving a main chuck on which the
semiconductor wafer is placed, towards a contactor having probes to
be in contact with electrodes of at least one of semiconductor
integrated circuits each having electrodes, so as to bring the
probes in contact with the electrodes; and
the testing step for testing the electrical properties of the
semiconductor integrated circuits on a basis of test signals
outputted from the probes;
wherein the probing method further comprises the cleaning step of
cleaning
the probes, and the cleaning step further comprises the steps
of:
detachably mounting a holding tool on which the cleaner tool is
held, onto the main chuck while the object to be tested is placed
on the main chuck;
cleaning the probes with the cleaner tool by moving the main chuck;
and
removing the holding tool on which the cleaner tool is held, from
the main chuck.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a probing method including the testing step for testing
the electric properties of the semiconductor integrated circuits
formed on the semiconductor wafer, according to the above, wherein
the cleaning step of cleaning the probes with the cleaner tool,
further comprises the steps of:
grinding the probes; and
polishing the probes.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober comprising:
a probe card provided on an upper surface of a main body of the
prober;
a main chuck provided in the main body of the prober, underneath
the probe card, to be movable in X, Y, Z and .theta.
directions;
a spacer having an upper portion on which a cleaner tool for the
probe card is held;
a conveying mechanism for conveying the spacer between outside of
the main body of the prober and a position on the main chuck;
and
a supporting portion, provided on an outer side surface of the main
chuck, for supporting the spacer;
wherein the main chuck is moved up and down directly under neath
the probe card such that probes of the probe card is cleaned with
the cleaner on the spacer held on the main chuck.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober comprising:
a probe card provided on an upper surface of a main body of the
prober;
a main chuck provided in the main body of the prober, underneath
the probe card, to be movable in X, Y, Z and .theta.
directions;
a spacer on which the probe card is held;
a conveying mechanism for conveying the spacer between outside of
the main body of the prober and a position on the main chuck;
and
a supporting portion, provided on an outer side surface of the main
chuck, for supporting the spacer;
wherein the spacer, the conveying mechanism and the main chuck are
used as a mechanism for replacing the probe card.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober according to the above, wherein the conveying
mechanism is mounted on the side surface of the main body of the
apparatus, to be movable in forward and backward, and has a pair of
left and right arms supporting the spacer movably between the
outside of the main body of the probe apparatus and the main
chuck.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober according to the above, wherein the spacer has
projections for alignment on its lower surface, and the supporting
portion has recess portions to which the projections for alignment
are fit.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober comprising:
a main body of the prober;
a probe card having probes and being attachable to an upper portion
of the main body;
a main chuck, provided underneath the probe card and being movable
in x, y, z and .theta. directions, for a semiconductor wafer on
which integrated circuits each having electrodes;
an alignment mechanism for aligning the electrodes of the
integrated circuits with the probes of the probe card by moving the
main chuck;
a holding tool for holding a part material loaded onto the main
chuck and unloaded from the main chuck; and
a conveying mechanism for conveying the holding tool between a
place where the loading of the holding tool is started, and a place
on the main chuck.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober according to the above, wherein the part
material loaded onto the main chuck and unloaded from the main
chuck is the probe card, and the holding tool, the conveying
mechanism and the main chuck constitute a mechanism for replacing
the probe card.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober according to the above, wherein the part
material loaded onto the main chuck and unloaded from the main
chuck is the cleaner tool for the probes of the probe card, and the
holding tool having, at its upper section, a holding section for
the cleaner tool, and a mount portion, at its lower section, to be
mounted to the main chuck without having the holding tool contact
to the semiconductor wafer on the main chuck.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober according to the above, wherein the part
material loaded onto the main chuck and unloaded from the main
chuck is the cleaner tool for the probe card and the probes of the
probe card, and the holding tool having, at its upper section, a
holding section for the probe card and another holding section for
the cleaner tool, and the holding tool having a mount portion, at
its lower section, to be mounted to the main chuck without having
the holding tool contact to the semiconductor wafer on the main
chuck.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober comprising:
a main body of the prober;
a probe card having probes and being detachable to an upper portion
of the main body;
a main chuck, provided underneath the probe card and being movable
in x, y, z and .theta. directions, for a semiconductor wafer on
which integrated circuits each having electrodes;
an alignment mechanism for aligning the electrodes of the
integrated circuits with the probes of the probe card by moving the
main chuck;
a cleaner tool for cleaning the probes, the cleaner tool having a
cleaning surface on its upper surface, and a grinding cleaner at
least in a peripheral portion of the cleaning surface; and
a conveying mechanism for conveying the holding tool between a
place where the loading of the holding tool is started, and a place
on the main chuck.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a prober according to the above, wherein the cleaner
tool having a polish cleaner at a central portion of its cleaning
surface, and a grinding cleaner in a peripheral portion of the
cleaning surface.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set
forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious
from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be
realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and
combinations particularly pointed out hereinbefore.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute
a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred
embodiments of the invention, and together with the general
description given above and the detailed description of the
preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles
of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the prober according
to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a lateral surface of the embodiment in
the state where the spacer on which a grinding plate is placed is
conveyed to a position directly above the main chuck;
FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a perspective view of the spacer of
the embodiment, with parts broken away and in section;
FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of an upper portion of the spacer;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a lateral view of the embodiment,
illustrating the relationship among the main chuck, spacer,
grinding plate and probe;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a lateral view of another embodiment of
the present invention, in the state where the probe card is
replaced by means of the main chuck and spacer;
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a front view of a conventional prober
device, with the front surface of the prober chamber broken away
and in section;
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a lateral enlarged view of the state
where aluminum oxide or the like is adhered to the terminal of a
probe;
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an enlarged perspective view of the
main chuck of the conventional prober device; and
FIGS. 9A to 9F are diagrams illustrating examples of that a
grinding cleaner and a polishing cleaner are arranged on a cleaner
surface of a cleaner tool, in the embodiments of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of cleaning the terminal
of a probe, a probing method and a prober; however in order to make
the explanation concise and clear, embodiments of the present
invention will be described in detail in connection with the
probing method and prober used in the test for semiconductor
integrated circuits.
Embodiments of the prober according to the present invention will
now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In these figures,
the same structural elements or corresponding ones as or to those
of the conventional technique are designated by the same reference
numerals.
As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the prober for semiconductor
integrated circuits, according to an embodiment of the present
invention, has a conveying mechanism 21 provided just in front of a
prober chamber 12 including a main chuck 15. A clearing tool 20 is
conveyed onto the main chuck 15 by the conveying mechanism 21. The
following are detailed descriptions of the relationship between the
main chuck 15 and the conveying mechanism 21.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conveying mechanism 21 includes a pair of
left and right guide rails 21A and 21A, a pair of left and right
arms 21B and 21B reciprocating between the outside and inside of
the prober chamber 12 along the guide rails 21A and 21A, and a
hinge (not shown) for fixing the conveying mechanism 21 such as to
be standable, to the front surface of the prober chamber 12. The
operator operates the left and right arms 21B and 21B manually, so
as to convey the cleaner tool 20 above the main chuck in the prober
chamber 12. The conveying mechanism 21, when it is not used, is
turned aside downwards on the outer side of the front of the prober
chamber 12, to be housed in a cover (not shown). Further, each of
the arms 21B and 21B may be automatically driven by an electric
motor for reciprocation.
In the steps where the cleaner tool 20 is conveyed to (or from) the
main chuck, and where the terminal of the probe is cleaned above
the main chuck, the cleaner tool 20 is held by a holder tool. As an
example of such a holder, a spacer 22 is illustrated in FIGS. 3A
and 3B. The spacer 22 is made of a metal such as stainless
aluminum. The spacer 22 has a cylindrical shape having an upper end
closed, and a lower end opened, and a recess 22B is formed in the
upper surface of an upper wall 22A. The cleaner tool 20, which is
shaped into a round disk having substantially the same size as the
wafer W, is held in the recess 22B.
In the spacer shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the cleaner tool 20 is held
as it is engaged with the recess 22B made in the surface of the
upper section.
A pair of left and right grooves 22D and 22D (see FIGS. 3A and 3B)
are made in the circumferential surface of the lateral wall 22C of
the spacer 22, in the lateral direction. The arms 21B and 21B of
the conveying mechanism 21 are engaged respectively with the
grooves 22D and 22D, so as to support the spacer 22.
As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the spacer 22 is made such
that the inner diameter thereof is made slightly larger than the
outer diameter of the main chuck 15. When the spacer 22 is mounted
on the main chuck 15, the main chuck 15 is fitted to the spacer 22.
On the lower surface of the peripheral wall 22C of the spacer 22, a
plurality of trigonal pyramid-shaped projections 22E are formed in
the circumferential direction. The spacer 22 is supported by
supporters 23, and placed on the main chuck 15. While the spacer 22
being placed as described above, a gap is created between the lower
surface of the upper wall 22A of the spacer 22 and the upper
surface of the main chuck 15, and a wafer W is housed in the gap.
On the outer side surface of the main chuck 15, a plurality of
supporting portions 23 are formed. In a supporting surface 23A of
each of the supporting portions 23, recess sections 23B in which
the triangular pyramid-shaped projections 23B of the spacer 22 are
fit, are made. The spacer 22 is aligned as the projections 22E fit
in the recesses 23B.
The number, arrangement, shapes and the like, of projections 22E
formed on the spacer 22, supporting portions 23 and recess portions
23B of the main chuck 15, can be arbitrarily determined. The
structures shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are just preferable examples.
As in the case of the conventional technique, the main chuck 15 is
formed to be movable in the X and Y directions by X and Y tables
(not shown), as well as in the Z and 0 directions by an ascending
mechanism and a 0 drive mechanism (both of which not shown). In
FIG. 4, the member designated by reference numeral 24 is a
connection ring which electrically connect a test head 19 and a
probe card 17 to each other.
The cleaning method for the probe terminal, according to the
present invention will now be described in connection with the case
where the above-described prober is used. For example, in the
middle of testing of a wafer W, when a residue is stuck on the
probe (for example, probe needle) 17A, and the conducting property
between the probe 17A and an electrode pad is lowered, the test is
immediately stopped. Then, the probe 17A is cleaned in the
following manner. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the arms 21B of the
conveying mechanism 21 are fit into the grooves 22D of the spacer
22 on which the cleaner tool 200 is mounted. Thus, the arms 21B are
pushed into the prober chamber 12. During the period of this
operation, the main chuck 15 on which the wafer W is placed is
moved to a position directly underneath the spacer 22 5 under the
control of the controller 13, and then rotated in the 0 direction
so that it face a predetermined direction. Thus, the shaft center
of the main chuck 15 coincides with that of the spacer 22, and thus
they are set in the state shown in FIG. 2. As can be seen in FIG.
2, the main chuck 15 is moved up in the direction indicated by
arrow, and thus the supporting portions 23 of the main chuck 15
support the spacer 22. In this operation, as the projections 22E of
the spacer 22 fit the respective recesses 23B of the supporting
portions 23 of the main chuck 15, the spacer 22 can be supported by
the main chuck 15 without being displaced. The wafer W on the main
chuck 15 is housed in the spacer 22 without being in contact with
the spacer 22 (see FIG. 4).
As shown in FIG. 4, under the control of the controller 13, the
main chuck 15 is moved to a position directly underneath the probe
card 17 provided in the prober camber 12. At this position, the
main chuck 15 is moved in the Z direction, and thus the probe 17A
is brought into contact with the cleaner tool 20. The main chuck 15
is stopped when it is slightly overdriven, and thus the cleaner
tool 20 and the probe 17A are pressed against to each other.
The cleaning mode in which the probe 17 is cleaned with the cleaner
tool 20 varies depending upon the structure of the cleaner tool 20.
Several versions of the cleaning mode are actually employable, for
example, the cleaner tool 20 is vibrated to left and right, or it
is moved in a circular motion or an arc motion, or it is moved up
and down, or in combination of these motions. In the case where the
cleaner tool 20 is a grinding cleaner such as grinding stone, the
main chuck 15 is repeatedly moved up and down under the control of
the controller 13. While reciprocating between the states where the
cleaner tool 20 and probe 17A are pressed against each other, and
where they are just lightly contact with each other, the probe 17A
is cleaned as it is ground by the cleaner tool 20. After the
cleaning is finished, the main chuck 15 is moved in the
reverse operation to the above, and the cleaner tool 20 is sent
together with the spacer 22 to the conveying mechanism 21. Then,
the spacer 22 is conveyed to a predetermined position via the
conveying mechanism 21, and the test of the wafer W is continued
under the control of the controller 13.
As described above, according to this embodiment of the present
invention, the probe 17A can be cleaned while the wafer W is being
held by the main chuck 15 during the test of the wafer W. Thus, the
cleaning time for the probe 17A can be significantly shortened.
Further, the probe can be cleaned while the testing center of the
probe card 17 coinciding with the axial center of the main chuck
15. Therefore, even if a wafer W of a larger diameter is used, and
accordingly the diameter of the main chuck 15 is increased, an
unbalanced load is not applied on the main chuck 15 during the
cleaning. Therefore, it is not necessary to reinforce the
mechanical strength of the main chuck 15 in consideration of such
an unbalanced load.
Next, another embodiment of the present invention will now be
described with reference to FIG. 5.
In an prober of this embodiment, a main chuck 15, a supporter tool
22 (e.g. spacer) and a conveying mechanism 21 are utilized as a
mechanism for replacing a probe card 15. The prober of this
embodiment has basically the same structure as that of the
abovedescribed embodiment except that a spacer 22 having a
different structure is used in this embodiment. The spacer 22 used
in this embodiment has the following structure. That is, a central
hole 22F is made in an upper wall 22A of the spacer 22 as can be
seen in FIG. 5, and with this hole, the probe 17A of a probe card
17 placed on the upper wall 22A for replacement is not damaged. The
spacer 22 of this embodiment may have grooves 22D and projections
22E as in the case of the before-described embodiment.
As conventionally known, the card holder 25 is mounted to the probe
card 17. The probe card 17 on which the card holder 25 is mounted,
is placed on the insert ring 18A fixed to a head plate 18 of the
prober room 12. For replacing the probe card 17, the probe card 17
on which the card holder 25 is replaced. A plurality of held
sections 25A are formed on the outer periphery of the card holder
25 in the circumferential direction, and a plurality of cutouts
(not shown) corresponding respectively to these held sections 25A
are made in the insert ring 18A in the circumferential
direction.
The probe card 17 on which the card holder 25 is mounted is moved
upwards from a position directly below the insert ring 18A under
the control of the controller 13, and then the probe card 17 is
mounted on the insert ring 18A due to the engagement between the
held sections 25A of the card holder 25 and the respective cutouts
of the insert ring 18A. As the insert ring 18A, a conventionally
well-known type may be employed, and therefore the explanation of
the specific structure thereof will be omitted.
A method of replacing the probe card 17 will now be described. The
spacer 22 is mounted on the conveying mechanism 21. Then, the
conveying mechanism 21 and the main chuck 15 are operated such that
the main chuck 15 receives the spacer 22 of the conveying mechanism
21, and the main chuck 15 is moved to a position directly below the
insert ring 18A. After that, the main chuck 15 is moved upwards,
and thus the card holder 25 holding the probe card 17 and
automatically removed from the insert ring 18A is held on the
spacer 22. The main chuck 15 is moved in a reverse direction to the
above case, and thus the card holder 25 holding the probe card 17
is passed together with the spacer 22, to the conveying mechanism
21. The probe card 17 and the like are moved by the conveying
mechanism 21 from the prober chamber 12 to the outside. Then, a
spacer 22 which holds the card holder 25 on which a new probe card
17 is held, is set on the conveying mechanism 21.
Further, the conveying mechanism 21 and the main chuck 15 are
operated such that the main chuck 15 receives the card holder 25 on
which the new probe card 17 is held, from the conveying mechanism
21 together with the spacer 22. The main chuck 15 is moved to a
position directly underneath the insert ring 18A. Then, the main
chuck 15 is moved upwards, and the card holder 25 holding the probe
card 17 is mounted on the insert ring 18A. Thus, the replacement of
the probe card 17 is finished. After that, the main chuck 15 is
moved and the spacer 22 is passed on to the conveying mechanism 21
from the main chuck 15. Then, the spacer 22 is withdrawn from the
prober chamber 12 to the outside by the conveying mechanism 21.
After the spacer 22 is removed from the conveying mechanism 21, the
conveying mechanism 21 is folded by means of a hinge.
As described above, according to this embodiment, the holding tool
(for example, spacer), the main chuck 15 and the conveying
mechanism 21 can be utilized as the replacing mechanism for the
probe card 17.
According to the present invention, even if the diameter of an
object to be tested, such as a wafer, is increased, it is possible
to clean the probe terminal without applying an unbalanced load on
the main chuck. Further, the probe can be cleaned even in the
middle of testing while the object being placed on the main chuck,
and therefore the cleaning time can be shortened.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the main chuck can
be used as an automatic replacing mechanism for probe card.
The above description is directed to an embodiment of the present
invention; however the present invention can be practiced in some
other versions of embodiment, which can be easily recognized by a
person skilled in the field of the invention.
For example, for the probe, any type of probe which can be brought
into electrical contact with an electrode of an object so as to
electrically connect the electrode and the measuring unit, can be
employed. Examples of such a probe are needle-like type, bump-like
type and pogo pin.
The cleaning tool can be of any type which can remove a matter
attached to the probe. Preferable examples of the cleaning tool are
tools for sanding a probe (for example, grinding stone, cloth-like
tool and a type made of elastic member) and tools for polishing a
probe (for example, a brush-like type).
The way the cleaner tool is held by the holding tool or spacer is
not limited to the case of the above-described embodiment, but the
cleaner tool can be amounted to a predetermined section of the
holding tool or spacer in any manner. Preferable versions of
holding the cleaner tool are that the cleaner tool is fit in the
recess section in the upper surface of the holding tool or spacer,
that it is placed on the flat section of the upper surface of
either one of these, that it is adhered to the flat section of the
upper surface of either one of these, and that it is fixed to the
recess section or flat section of the upper surface by means of a
holding member such as screw, bar or frame.
The spacer or holding tool, in terms of its outer shape, may be
designed to have a variety of shapes, such as cylindrical or
prism-like types. Further, the size of the spacer or holding tool
can be appropriately determined in accordance with the mechanism of
mounting it to the main chuck. Preferably, the spacer or holding
tool should be designed to have substantially the same shape and
size as those of the main chuck; however these tools may have
different shape and size from those of the main chuck.
The contactor may be of a type which brings IC chips formed on a
wafer, in contact with probes one by one, or a type which brings IC
chips in contact in a plural number at once, or a type which brings
all IC chips in contact with probes in batch.
The mechanism of mounting the spacer or holding tool detachably on
the main chuck may be of any type as long as the object of the
mechanism can be achieved. Preferable examples of such a mechanism
are that the spacer or holding tool is mounted detachably to the
support section provided on the outer side surface of the main
chuck, that it is mounted detachably to the peripheral portion of
the upper surface of the main chuck, and that it is mounted
detachably to the support section provided close to the main
chuck.
The manner of providing a cleaner on the cleaning surface of the
cleaning tool can be appropriately set in accordance with the
structures of the probe card, probes, cleaning tool and holding
tool. Preferable examples are the cases where the cleaner 20 is
provided on the entire cleaning surface (FIG. 9A), where the
cleaner 20 is provided for a section of the cleaning surface (FIG.
9B), where the cleaner 20 is provided for the central portion of
the entire cleaning surface (FIG. 9C), where the polish cleaner 20B
is provided for the central portion of the cleaning surface and the
grinding cleaner 20A is provided for the peripheral portion (FIG.
9D), where a cleaner band 20 which crosses the cleaning surface in
band-like manner is provided (FIG. 9E), and where the polish
cleaner 20B is provided for the central portion of the cleaner band
20 formed to have a shape to cross the cleaning surface, and the
grinding cleaner 20A is provided on the peripheral portion. In
other versions than those illustrated in FIGS. 9A to 9F, the shape
of the cleaning surface may be not only circular or band-like, but
also non-circular.
The above-described embodiment was described in connection with the
case where the supporting portion 23 for supporting the spacer 22
is provided at a plurality of sections of the main chuck 15. As
some other versions, the structure, number and arrangement of the
supporting portion 23 may be appropriately determined in accordance
with the structures of the main chuck and the spacer 22, so that
the spacer 22 can be appropriately supported.
Further, in order to avoid the displacement between the main chuck
15 and the spacer 22, the embodiment employs the version in which
the projections are provided for the spacer 22 and the recess
sections 23 are provided for the supporting portions 23. As other
versions, it is possible that the projections and recess sections
are provided vice versa, or the shapes of the projections and
recess portions are appropriately determined.
Furthermore, a mechanism including the arm 21B and guide rail 21C
was described in the embodiment as the conveying mechanism 21. As
other versions, it is possible to employ a mechanism which uses an
arm moving in an arc, such as crane.
In the procedure of the above embodiment, the main chuck 15 is
moved to a position directly underneath the insert ring 18 after
receiving the spacer 22 from the conveying mechanism 21. As another
version, it is also possible that the main chuck 15 receives the
spacer 22 from the conveying mechanism 21 at a position directly
underneath the insert ring 18A.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those
skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects
is not limited to the specific details and representative
embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or
scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended
claims and their equivalents.
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